My blog about Science

July 13, 2015July 13, 2015

The science of roller coasters

Roller coasters : a fun way to spend time at an amusement park. The first roller coaster opened at Coney Island, on June 1884. The “Switchback Railway” trundled along at about six miles per hour over a series of gentle slopes. I have never been on a roller coaster but know the science of one.

There are two main formulas to consider while making a roller coaster.

The first formula is PE = m×g×h where m is mass, g is gravity, h is height, and PE is potential energy.

The second is KE = ½mv² where m is the mass, v is the velocity, and KE is the kinetic energy.

Without these two formulas your joyful times on a roller coaster, may have never happened. So thank them.